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E L L I O T T' S TRAVEL NOTES
Travel news, opinion and analysis

February 2, 2004

Is Airline Security a Joke?
On January 15, British Airways flight 228 was being prepared for its usual evening departure from Washington's second international airport to London Heathrow. Among the passengers were Charles Beckman, a public relations specialist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, his wife, Liz, a music teacher, and their two children. All the passengers passed through the initial screening. But when they reached the gate, an announcement was made on the public address system that a new policy meant half the passengers needed an additional check before boarding. Beckman takes up the story. "They said: 'We are asking for volunteers to stand up to be screened so that we can expedite the process for take-off.' All the law-abiders lined up, while my wife and I just looked at each other." The Telegraph | Posted 6 a.m.
-- Independent: More flights grounded after alert

• Airline security may not really be a laughing matter, but it does need some work, as I recently observed. Send us your comments.

Will Canada Hand Over Data to U.S.?
The U.S. and Canadian governments have started formal negotiations over whether Canada will provide private information on its citizens for U.S. terrorist watch lists and aviation security programs. The U.S. government is seeking access to watch lists from other countries for efforts such as the Terrorist Screening Center, which provides U.S. law enforcement agencies access to integrated databases, and the Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening II (CAPPS II) program, which screens and rates airline passengers for potential threats. Direct Newsline | Posted 6:15 a.m.
-- Reuters: Privacy watchdogs challenge U.S.-EU deal
-- BW: Let's put a stop to 'fly and tell'

Bird Flu Curbs Far East Travel
China reported five more suspected outbreaks of the deadly avian influenza virus Sunday, indicating that the disease was spreading across the country faster than expected. The announcement of the new outbreaks, including one in western Xinjiang province, hundreds of miles from the duck farm in the southeast where the virus first appeared a week ago, brings to 14 the number of areas in China with confirmed or suspected cases of the bird flu. Beijing is struggling meanwhile to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome from resurfacing. Authorities are facing questions about the late disclosure of a fourth SARS patient in Guangdong province. Washington Post | Posted 6:20 a.m.
-- Sun Star: California, here we come, bird flu
-- Reuters: New bird flu affects airline stocks

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• And finally ... there's more talk of very long security lines at certain airports (Miami, Washington, and possibly Los Angeles) after this weekend's spat of cancellations. Give yourself a little extra time when traveling. Posted 6:30 a.m.| Send us your comments.

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